The Art of Being a Liar
by ikuzonos
Summary: Pretending to date his co-worker to cover up her relationship with their boss was one thing. Losing his sense of self was something else entirely. (Post DD, Phoenix/Athena, mild sexual content)


His name is Apollo Justice, and he is a liar. It's ironic, being a defence attorney in search of the truth, not to mention being a living lie detector, that he is lying.

He knows that he is a liar. He doesn't want to be one, but he has no choice. If he's going to protect her, he must lie.

He doesn't remember exactly when it started. But he remembers her showing up at his apartment in the middle of the night, begging for help.

It shows up perfectly in his mind. Of course he would remember the circumstances, they are ingrained in his mind.

* * *

It is a cold, windy night, and he cannot sleep. He is sitting in his apartment, listening to the sounds outside.

There is a sharp rap on the door, and he answers it in confusion.

There she is, her clothes wrinkled, and her loose red hair blowing in the wind.

"I need your help." She says, "Do you mind if I come in?"

He nods, and she enters. He's confused, but he doesn't yet ask. Somehow, he knows that she will tell him.

She sits at his table, and he sets down a cup of tea for her. She drinks it gratefully, and then looks into his eyes, "I'm sorry if I woke you up."

"No, you didn't. Are you okay, Athena?"

Athena shakes her head, "Please… Apollo, I need help."

Apollo thinks he's ready for her problem. He is wrong.

"I'm sleeping with our boss." She confesses, "Not just sleeping, but like dating him and everything."

Apollo goes tense, and his mind blanks, "What?"

Athena brushes away a tear, "I'm nineteen, he's thirty-five… and as much as I love him, I feel bad. If word got out, we'd both be ruined."

Apollo nods, "Okay. How many people know?"

"Just you. I can't tell anyone else. Simon would hit the roof if he found out, and what would I tell Junie?" Athena says.

Apollo asks, "Alright. Why did you come to me for help? Especially considering that it's three in the morning."

Athena gulps, "I need to pretend to date someone. That way, world will never get out. I'm so sorry to ask, and you can say no."

He can't let her get hurt. He knows his boss won't hurt her, but someone will find out. As much as he'd never actually date her, he doesn't want anything bad to happen to her.

So he agrees.

* * *

Telling Juniper is so difficult. Apollo had just found out about her crush, and now he has to break her heart.

But there was no way that he'd tell Blackquill that they were dating, even if it was a lie.

So instead he lies to Juniper.

She sniffles, "It's okay. More than anything, I want the both of you to be happy."

Apollo fakes a smile, "Thank you. I'm really sorry."

Juniper says, "No, don't be. Your happiness is what's important. And if you can make my best friend happy, all the better! Just promise me that you'll protect her."

He promises.

His bracelet tightens.

* * *

Office work is mostly normal. Except for the fact that Phoenix and Athena are constantly glancing at each other from across the room.

They can't interact while Trucy's around, otherwise she'll figure it out.

Apollo would be surprised if she didn't put the pieces together.

Trucy steps out to go shopping, but not before she teases Apollo.

"Don't spend all afternoon making out with your girlfriend!"

He rolls his eyes, and she's out the door in a flash.

After five minutes, Phoenix says, "Athena? Can you come help me with some files in the back?"

Athena nearly jumps out of her seat, and follows him into the back. Apollo just sighs and goes back to work.

He knows that asking her for assistance out of sight is just code for, 'let's make out for twenty minutes, and possibly have sex, depending on when Trucy gets back.

They end up having sex, because Apollo can hear their moans through the paper-thin walls. He grits his teeth and goes back to work.

The moans get louder than usual, and he considers earplugs.

He wonders what is taking Trucy so long to get back.

Apollo focuses on his paperwork.

They're both so loud, it's like he's standing next to them.

He shudders at the thought.

* * *

Trucy takes an hour to come home. He wonders.

* * *

He walks with Klavier after a trial. For once, it is just the two of them, and Apollo lets himself relax. Right now, he doesn't have to be Athena's boyfriend.

For now, he's just Apollo Justice.

Neither of them know where they're going. That's okay with Apollo, because the conversation becomes easy.

He is feeling good, when Klavier says her name, and then he wants to cry.

"Say, Herr Forehead. How goes it with you and Fräulein Cykes?"

Apollo bites his lip, "We're fine."

"Ah. She's a feisty little firebrand, ja?" Klavier asks.

Apollo knows that Klavier's just trying to make polite conversation, but he wants to punch him in the face.

He has no romantic feelings for Athena, and she has none for him. It's an arrangement created to protect her, and Phoenix by extension.

"Herr Forehead?" Klavier prompts.

Apollo says, "Yeah, but it's all good, okay?" He comes off angry, and he's not trying to be rude, he's just tired. Tired of lying.

Klavier frowns, "Herr-, no, Apollo. What's the matter? Did I say something wrong?"

Apollo brushes away his concern, "No, you're fine. I just… I need to go." And then he's running away before Klavier can stop him.

He doesn't have many choices anymore, and he knows that it's easier to lie.

He's in over his head, but he has to try.

No one can know.

* * *

Sometimes, Athena and Phoenix hold hands in front of him. They only do so when Trucy is at school, or just out at a friend's it's too high risk to do so when she's in the Agency.

Apollo wonders why they don't just tell her. If she hasn't figured it out already, she will soon.

In fact, Trucy's quite possibly the smartest person in the Agency. This was probably never a secret to her in the first place.

If she does know, then she hides it quite well. She's a better actor than Apollo ever took her for.

He wonders how she handles it, if she does. It would certainly take her time to come around and accept it. He himself hasn't accepted Athena's relationship with Phoenix.

Apollo wishes that Athena and Phoenix could be public about their relationship, without the threat of backlash. The teasing is a small price to pay for Athena's sake, but he hates being a liar.

If he were to be perfectly honest, he wishes that the two of them had never begun the relationship in the first place. With sixteen years between them, it's sometimes horrifying for Apollo.

He wonders who initiated the relationship. Knowing Athena, it was probably her, but Apollo still wonders. He knew she had a seemingly innocent crush, but he never expected it to come to this.

He doesn't like to think about Phoenix initiating the relationship.

* * *

Apollo is working. He is not focused on Athena and Phoenix. He is not looking in their direction. He is not acknowledging their heated make out session on the couch.

Who is he kidding- of course he's acknowledging it. He's their lookout for Trucy. They didn't ask him to do it, but he wants to spare Trucy as much as possible.

She probably knows, and spends her time trying not to think about it. Hence why she leaves the Agency much more than she used to.

He wonders.

Through the window, Apollo sees Trucy approaching the Agency's door, and rifling through her bag for her key.

"Get up, she's right outside the door." He grunts.

Athena leaps off Phoenix, and nearly flies back to her desk. By the time Trucy has her key out, Athena has fixed her hair, and is starting to fix up her clothes.

When the door swings open, everything looks normal. Everyone is at their desks, seemingly hard at work.

Trucy greets everyone with a cheery smile, "Hi guys! Any new cases yet?"

Phoenix shakes his head, "None yet. How was your time with Jinxie?"

Trucy beams, "Incredible! She wants to know if I can sleep over. Can I?"

Phoenix said, "I don't see why not. Do you need Apollo to drive you back over to Nine-Tales Vale?"

Apollo is about to protest – he's not the Agency's chauffeur – but Trucy grins, "Nah, I'm good. Besides, Apollo needs 'quality time' with his dear girlfriend."

Apollo goes bright red.

 _More like Mr. Wright will be spending 'quality time' with her._

Trucy runs into her room to pack her things, and she's left the Agency within ten minutes.

As soon as she's gone, Phoenix and Athena eye each other from opposite sides of the room.

Apollo scowls and goes back to work.

And he wonders.

* * *

Another day, and comes another excuse for Phoenix to take Athena into the back. Apollo wonders why Phoenix even bothers covering it up. He knows what's about to happen.

Apollo pushes himself to work harder.

Athena's moans are getting loud, and Apollo thanks his lucky stars that he invested in earplugs. He pulls them out of his pocket, puts them in his ears, and relaxes. Now it is silent.

He flips open the next file he has to fill out, ready to finish things up. He's just getting into it, when he looks up, to see Trucy in the makeshift kitchen area. He's about to shrug and get back to work when it hits him.

Trucy's _here._

He leaps out of his seat, pulling out his earplugs, "T-Trucy?! What are you doing here?"

Trucy looks at him funny, "Getting something to eat, duh. What's bugging you, Polly?"

"I thought… We thought you were at Jinxie's place again!"

He's panicking, and he's praying that she can't hear Athena and Phoenix.

Trucy says, "She had to cancel. Something came up, so I came home. I have an essay to write anyway."

Apollo inhales sharply, "Get your things. Your homework, everything you need for your essay. Get them, and come with me?"

Trucy cocks her head, "Huh? Why?"

"Please, just do it. We're… I'm taking you to the library." Apollo finishes, his mind working too fast and too slow at the same time.

Trucy blinks, then says, "Okay, just give me a sec." Casting a weird glance at Apollo, she goes into her room, gathers her things, and is back within a minute.

"You're really tense, Apollo. What's wrong?"

"Nothing." He lies, "Come on, get in my car."

Trucy nods, and steps outside.

He can hear Phoenix and Athena again, and he wonders why Trucy cannot.

* * *

Luckily for the both of them, the library is rather quiet. Apollo and Trucy sit down in a quiet corner, and Trucy sets up her essay materials. Apollo opens a file he brought with him. He doesn't plan on doing any of the paperwork, but it gives the illusion of productivity.

Trucy whispers, "I really hope that you're not going to lie to me anymore."

Apollo shakes his head, "I can't tell you. You… you can't know."

Trucy sighs, "I'm seventeen now, Apollo. I know more than you might think. Hell, I've been keeping secrets since I was eight."

He thinks about the Enigmar trial from nine years ago. He bites his lip, and he considers spilling.

But he can't. He promised he'd protect Athena.

"No… Trucy, just do your essay, and don't think about this." He mutters.

"Not a chance. If you don't tell me, I'll find out for myself." Trucy whispers angrily, "Besides, I have a pretty good idea what this is all about."

It's a bluff, _it has to be_ a bluff.

Apollo says, "N-No. I can't, and if I did, Mr. Wright would-" He breaks off, knowing he has slipped up.

Trucy says, "So it does have to do with Daddy." Her voice drops, and he hears her say under her breath, "I thought so."

Apollo puts his head down on the table. Tears slip from his eyes, and while he tries not to sob, he cannot help it.

Trucy awkwardly pats his back.

He doesn't know what to say, or how to say it. He just wants to cry, because he is tired of lying.

He hears footsteps nearby, and then the voice of an older woman, probably the librarian.

"Excuse me, is everything alright?" Her voice is filled with worry.

Trucy says, "Ah, it's finals week. My friend is really stressed right now. Sorry if we disturbed anyone."

Her lie comes out so fluidly, and Apollo clenches his fist. What else does she lie about? How did she get so good? He wonders if it has to do with the magician thing.

He wonders if she was always this way, or if her reason for lying is as complicated as his.

Either way, they're both liars.

The woman says, "Well, we have a private study room open. Would you two care to use that?"

Apollo hears this as, 'Your crying is disturbing everyone.' He can't blame the librarian.

Trucy says, "I think we would. Thank you very much." She pokes Apollo, and begins to move things off the table.

Apollo sits up, and gathers his case file. He's trying so hard, but he can't even protect Trucy.

He follows Trucy and the librarian to the private study room in the back of the library. People are staring, and he doesn't know if it's his red eyes, or Trucy's magician garb that are getting the attention.

He tries to not care.

The librarian opens up the study room, and he and Trucy enter. She puts her things on the table, and then turns to Apollo, "Sit down, and we'll talk, okay?"

He nods, and places his paperwork down. They both sit at the table, and Trucy faces Apollo.

Trucy says, "What's going on? And why is Daddy involved?"

Apollo shakes his head, "He'd kill me if I told you."

Trucy frowns, "I'm not touching my essay until you tell me everything."

"…When's it due?"

"Not telling."

Apollo sighs. He's tired of lying, and she deserves to know. But Athena and Phoenix's wishes do come first.

He wants to tell her, he wants to keep it a secret, he wants, he wants, _he wants._

Apollo says, "You have to promise… Promise me that you'll never tell another soul. Not Jinxie, not anybody. Not even Pearl."

Trucy nods, "Cross my heart."

He knows she's serious. If she'll keep a secret from Pearl, then he knows how serious she is.

Apollo whispers, "It does have to do with Mr. Wright… And it has to do with Athena."

Trucy nods, "Go on."

"They're dating. Mr. Wright and Athena. For several months now." He gulps. It's out, it's out and he can't take it back, "I've been pretending to date Athena to protect her."

Trucy pauses, then says, "I…I thought so. I mean, I didn't get the specifics, but I knew the three of you were covering up something."

"Y-You did?" Apollo asks, "I thought we were careful."

"Well, nobody's perfect." Trucy says, "I mean, when you first told me that you were dating Athena, Daddy looked really uncomfortable."

 _Ah._

"Although at first, I thought you were dating Daddy." She giggles.

Apollo snorts, "As if. Your dad is a complete enigma to me."

"I know." Trucy smirks, "You want to date Klavier, anyway."

Apollo blushes furiously, but doesn't answer.

Trucy says, "Daddy always acted weird whenever you guys were doing your 'couple' thing. I thought I was right… But I remembered something Athena said."

"Huh?" Apollo blinks.

"She said she thought Daddy was kind of cute." She gags, "But I remembered that… And I wondered."

"Makes sense." Apollo says, "Good memory."

Trucy says, "Well, you and Athena weren't acting like a typical couple, so it was obvious something was up."

"Am I really that bad of an actor?" Apollo asks.

Trucy grins, "Well, you never held her hand, or kissed her cheek, or took her on dates or anything. I mean, you had your usual banter, but there was no flirting attached."

Apollo groans.

Trucy adds, "You didn't look like a couple, that's for sure."

"Has Pearls been feeding you romantic bull about Mr. Wright and Maya again?"

Trucy rolls her eyes, "No! I just meant since Pearly and I-" She breaks off suddenly, her cheeks going red.

"Something you want to tell me?" Apollo teases.

Trucy mumbles, "Not now. Anyway, you're a terrible actor, like you said."

"Good to know for future reference." Apollo says, "How Mr. Wright thought he could hide this from you, I have no idea."

Trucy shrugs, "Probably because he's Mr. Protective Dad."

Apollo says, "Yeah, sounds about right."

He feels better. He feels so wonderful, knowing his lies are off his chest. Not forever, but sharing the burden of his secret makes him relax.

"Now, get going on that essay."

"Damn, I was hoping you'd forget about that."

* * *

When he and Trucy return to the Agency, Phoenix and Athena are working at their desks again.

Trucy gives a curt hello to them, and then rushes into her room. Apollo wonders how much of the perkiness she showed him at the library was a façade.

He settles down at his desk, and goes back to his paperwork.

Athena whispers, "Sorry."

Apollo looks at her. There she is, her desk right beside is, just like always. But something feels different, and he hasn't felt this since the night she came to him for help.

"I-It's okay." Apollo says.

Athena says, "How do you really feel? Let's face it, you're not the only living lie detector here."

Apollo sighs, "I don't want to lie anymore."

"Me either." Athena admits, "But Phoenix and I can't exactly be public with our relationship."

"I know." Apollo says, "I knew what I was getting myself into when I said I'd pretend to date you."

Athena whispers, "One day… One day, everything will work out."

"You think so?"

Athena nods, "I know so."

They work in silence for a bit, and Athena says, "We want to go public right after my twentieth birthday."

Apollo says, "That's a few months away, right? I'll remember to break up with you before then."

Athena snorts, "Yeah, okay. Go all out, Red Monkey."

He laughs.

After a few minutes, he says, "And... If you're not totally comfortable about going public, I can still pretend to date you."

Athena blinks, "Really? I know this has been hard on you. We kinda shoved this burden on your shoulders."

"I chose to bear it." Apollo says, "And I'll continue to do so."

Athena smiles, "Thank you. If it gets to be too much-"

"I'll do it anyway." He says, "I'll uphold the act better. Maybe I'll pick up some tricks from Trucy."

Athena grins, "Oh? Is Trucy-"

Apollo cuts her off, "I don't know. But she's a magician, and she's better at keeping secrets than anyone else in this building."

"Yeah, sounds about right." Athena snorts, "Might be good if we both got some acting lessons. Maybe Phoenix too. Let's face it, she knows."

They share a smile, and then turn back to work.

* * *

His name is Apollo Justice, and he is a liar.

He doesn't want to continue lying, but he will. As much as he hates it, he is Athena's friend, and friends are there for each other. Deep in his heart, he dreams of a day when it will stop, when he can shed the lies. He dreams of a world where he is free. Apollo knows it's selfish, but he has to try.

Maybe, just maybe, there will be a day when he can tell the truth again.


End file.
